


The Legend of Zoohaven

by Ardi127, DancingLunarWolves



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, General fiction, Literature, fan fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 17:27:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19233766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ardi127/pseuds/Ardi127, https://archiveofourown.org/users/DancingLunarWolves/pseuds/DancingLunarWolves
Summary: A story set in ancient fantasy-ish Zootopia. Full of original characters. Barely a fanfic





	1. The Wolfpack

Long ago, far before our cute couple of a bunny - or perhaps, a rabbit - and a fox, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, exposed the conspiracy of the night howler case planned by assistant mayor Dawn Bellwether, back when predators still hunted prey, a young male alpha wolf was sat in front of the sacred totems of the ancestor. The totems were made as a tribute for those who passed - or let's just say it's some kind of tombstone for the ancestors. 

He was in deep thought about his father before he died. His father, the great shaman, saw a vision. He saw the whole wolf pack leaving their home, led by his son, the (current) alpha wolf. 

The current alpha wolf, the great shaman's one and only son, wasn't ready to lead the whole pack to something big like leaving this beloved home - an exodus as it was known. 

He never wanted to be a leader, he never wanted to be an alpha wolf. All he wanted was to be a normal, or even omega wolf. This was because he was taught by his father that being a leader isn't easy, it was a huge responsibility. If he led his pack to a ravine, it's where the whole pack would go. 

He was afraid that he would do something like that; afraid that he would lead the pack to destruction, or even worse: extinction. 

However, what was seen would happen sooner or later, and he was to lead the whole pack for an exodus. The alpha wolf stood as he sighed. He convinced himself that he shall lead the pack, even though he still worried about it. He still wondered when and why the pack would leave their own beloved home. Only the time would tell.  
    
He turned away from the totems and found the rest of the wolves were doing their daily tasks, most of which were done by the omega wolves. They were gathering useful resources to help their survival: mining products like metals which later made to be weapons and such, lumber to be made as crafting material, campfires, or a new den, and, obviously, food. 

The wolves got their food from hunting prey, fishing, and farming. Yes, the wolves did farm now. Since the reign of Lucario, one of the ancestors - once an alpha wolf - tried to live in peace with prey with his pack, the wolves learned how to farm and did it ever since then. 

But the peace didn't last long. 

Right after Lucario passed away, his son, Luxio II, was fed up with this 'peace'. He and all the other wolves wanted to eat meat once again, they missed the sensation of ripping off flesh from its place. Since that, the wolves resumed hunting prey once more.

A voice was heard by the alpha wolf, a calling out of his name. He turned his head towards the voice and found his most trusted beta wolf, Rika, was approaching him. Rika was his younger cousin; the obedient, still naive son of the great shaman's brother. 

Well, every wolf in the pack was family indeed, but Rika was one of the closest. Alpha wolves used to be the only ones who were allowed to have the offspring, but after many many generations, the system was changed so that any wolves were allowed to have offspring. 

But still, they have to bow under the alpha wolf's order (obviously). It wasn't just the breeding and offspring-owning system that changed. Usually, when a pup was mature enough, they would leave the pack to either to search for a new territory, or join an existing pack, but now is different. They stay. 

No wolves have left the pack since the time they settled in this place, led by the first revolutionary alpha wolf: Luxville. Since then, changes in the wolf pack began to happen. And that's why the alpha wolf was worried about this exodus, because it hadn't happened again, ever.

Rika approached his older cousin and told him that the wolves currently ran out of meat. The alpha wolf tilted his head when he heard that, then said that they just need to hunt for more prey, right? I mean, he didn't have to report it.

Rika nodded, then told the alpha wolf that they needed him to lead the hunt. The alpha wolf got what his cousin meant and walked to the great den, the place where all the wolves stay. The great den was a big, hall-sized underground room though it's not fully underground, the rooftop of the great den wasn't dirt, it's covered like an Indian like tent - or just say it tipi supported by a big wooden column and rope and nails outside of it. 

Inside, there's a huge circular room where the wolves can gather to celebrate, listen to the alpha's lectures, and other such events called 'the great hall' with a few holes in the walls as exits to short tunnels that lead to each family den. 

Then, he walked into his den and donned his armor which is made out of leather - Yes, LEATHER - and a pair of bracers with a metal claw stick to it. Actually, he didn't need to wear any armor or carry a weapon if he was hunting for normal prey, but this time is different. 

All mammals were developing (including the prey, of course); they started to make weapons and armors to help their survival. This made hunting a lot harder, reminding the pack that prey were already quite difficult and hunting armed prey made it more difficult.

The alpha wolf walked out of the great den and found Rika and the hunters, a group of wolves who specialized in hunting, waiting. All wolves could hunt, since it was a crucial skill in their lives. But since they settled in the taiga and their number was increased since the first time they stay, bringing all the wolves who didn't babysit to hunt was a little bit troublesome. Though all the wolves knew what to do when they hunted, their number just made the hunt little bit uncoordinated. 

Thus, the hunters were formed. The alpha wolf approached them and told them that he decided to hunt the reindeer as they drop to four feet and trotted to the northeast. Rika asked why the alpha wolf decided to hunt the reindeer instead the sheep: their usual prey. Then he answered that the sheep have developed their strategy in fighting; a strategy in defending themselves from the wolves. They grew accustomed to the wolves' hunting strategy, causing to hunt the hunt to be a lot harder. Thus, he decided to hunt the reindeer instead.

The sun had moved slightly and the wolves had arrived on a hill near the reindeer settlement. Usually, female and male reindeer lived in a separate herd of only males and only female, but after quite a long time, it changed. It seemed that all mammals social life had changed, whether a little or a lot. 

This settlement - or perhaps, herd - consisted of both male and female reindeer living inside a tent made out of wood and leaves, sheltering them from bad weather and other things. But it wouldn't shelter them from a pack of marauding hungry wolves. The pack slowly approached the settlement from the nearby trees, downwind of them to hide their scent. 

The wolves divided themselves into small groups and began encircling the settlement. One group led by the alpha wolf himself, while the other led by his most trusted wolf: Rika. There were many ways for the wolves to hunt, depending on the situation. But when hunting in this condition -  fair weather and the reindeer were near a river - they would just chase them down towards the river as they caused chaos. 

If they were lucky enough, a reindeer, or even a few, would stumble upon a round stone and fall, which later they would feast on. But no, not anymore. After the reign of Luxville, the reindeer stopped running from the wolves and fought against them instead. 

They've made durable wooden armors and weapons. Which admittedly, quite good in defending themselves. The wolves could just ambush the settlement, but it was too risky. The alpha wolf didn't want any of wolf dying because of the ambush. Thus, he decided to use a distraction.

The alpha's group, along with the beta's, kept walking around the settlement until the wind carried their scent and let the reindeers smell them. The reindeer realized that there were wolves around their territory; not just one, but two, three, four, or even more. So they sent a lot of their guards to check it out, accidentally leaving the settlement barely guarded. After a while, they arrived near the trees where a group of wolves were hidden. They were checking some bushes when suddenly, they found the alpha. He jumped over the bush and pounced one of them before bitting it's neck for a quick kill. 

The other reindeer took a step back in surprise and fear. One reindeer, however, quickly approached the ambushing wolf and was about to attack him with his spear, only to become the second victim when another wolf suddenly pounced him and grip his neck with his big paw. 

The wolf turned his head to the front, checking for another attack from the reindeers, and his instincts were correct. He saw that one of the reindeer was about to stab him with its spear, but he was lucky. He avoided the attack as another hunter covered him with his big, square, wooden shield.

The rest of the wolves stepped forward, showing themselves to the reindeer. There were six of them in total. There were a couple of claw-armed wolves, another couple that bore shields and axes, and the rest were equipped with spears. 

The spears that the wolves used for throwing weren't long like those by the guards, instead, they used a shorter length weapon that was lighter and made it more efficient to carry and throw. One reindeer ran away in fear as it shouted, calling for reinforcements as loud as it could while the battle still raged. Luckily, his shout was heard by the rest of the reindeer in the settlement and they sent reinforcements. 

What the reindeer didn't know - because they were too busy panicking - was that the alpha wolf was grinning as he heard their call. The alpha wolf blocked an attack using his metal claw The alpha wolf blocked an attack using his metal claw on his bracer, then knocked it away. 

He quickly stepped forward to scratch his opponent, but before the blow could be struck, a shield blocked his attack; his metal claw stuck embedded in the defensive wall. He tried to pull his claw off of the shield, but he couldn't, it was stuck too deep. 

A spear would have stabbed his head if he hadn't evaded. He stepped forward and tugged his paw as he could to free himself, but when that didn't work, he bit down on the reindeer's arm that held the shield, covering his jaws in blood. He took a few steps back as a beta wolf come forward, covering his chief and attacking their prey while the alpha freed his metal claws off from the shield. 

After he managed to wrench his weapon away from the shield, he looked forward and found a herd of reindeer's reinforcement had arrived. There were loads of them, and the small hunter group might not be able to fight against them. Yet, this made the alpha wolf's grin widen. The battle raged fiercer. 

The wolves realized they wouldn't be able to survive this, so they began to slowly retreat and hold the reindeer back as best as they could. After they managed to hold them long enough, the wolves finally retreated and the reindeer were happy about it. 

They counted it as a victory against the wolves. But... did they? The reindeer happily walked back to their settlement only to be grieved: the unprotected reindeer were gone and there was a blood trail. While they were busy fighting against the alpha wolf's hunter group, the other group came in for the kill, taking several of the prey mammals with them. They didn't take all of the remaining raindeers, just some. Enough number to feed the whole wolf clan for today and a few days in the future.

The full moon could be seen in the clear night sky along with the stars that formed the Milkyway. The wolves were having a feast. No, not to celebrate their victory against the reindeer. That was nothing but normal thing to happen. The predators would always win against the prey because prey were destined to be their meal. 

Well, at least that's what they thought. 

After the feast, the alpha wolf stood up to speak, he had something that needed to be announced. Actually, he himself didn't need to announce this. Since he was the alpha, he could just order the other wolves to do whatever he desired. But, despite him being a tough, strong leader, he was actually quite shy for a wolf and always worry about his leadership. He was still a young adult. 

He began to speak and announce one thing that he worried about. He announced to rest of the wolves that soon they would do an exodus to leave this land to somewhere else. The wolves were chattering, talking to each other about this thing. 

I mean... they were wondering, why would the alpha wolf want to leave this land? 

Actually, it would be his decision whatever the reason, but it didn't mean that they couldn't know his reason, right? 

The alpha wolf clapped his paw several times as he told the other wolves to be silent, and they obeyed. He told them that he didn't know the reason either. It was the great shaman who had foreseen this. The other wolves nodded as they chattered again a little. If the great shaman said it would happen, then it would be. At least, that's what they believed. 

The alpha wolf asked what the other wolves thought about it. They chattered about it for a while then argued that, if it had been foreseen, then it would happen. If he was destined to lead this pack to an exodus, then it would be so. The alpha nodded then thanked the other wolves for sharing their thoughts about something that he worried about as he sat down, something he was afraid that he would mess up. But thankfully, they responded it positively. 

After the feast, the alpha wolf went back to his den, feeling mental unease. He should have been relieved after hearing that the other wolves had positively responded to something he worried about. But no, he didn't. He felt... demeaned, he felt... underestimated. They believed he could lead the pack for an exodus because he was destined to; because it was foreseen, not because he's able to. 

***

Dark clouds covered the sky, blocking the sun's light. The ground was shaking and began to tear apart. Blazing rocks were sent from the sky along with suffocating and smothering ashes. 

How did these things happen? Well, nobody knows, it was a cataclysm. It was just a normal, fine, clear day, a few weeks, even. Nut not one month had passed since the day the alpha wolf announced the exodus that things escalated suddenly. It seemingly started from the black mountain which was now discovered to actually be a volcano in the east.  
      
The alpha wolf woke up from his sleep and found himself in the reality of the aftermath of the cataclysm. He went from his den to the great hall and found the other wolves in distress. They didn't know what to do and were worried with the condition of the pack. Several cubs asked their mothers when this thing would over while their mothers could only pet them and answer that it all would over soon.

Rika quickly approached his chief and told him that the food supplies were diminishing, he asked what they could do about the shortage. The alpha wolf observed his surroundings, went out a bit to check the condition in the outside for a while, only to return a short time later. He answered that they could only conserve food and wait until the ashes fully died down in order for them to hunt once more. 

Rika shouted that it had been too long for them to stay around and do nothing, slowly yet surely the food stock was being depleted. They had to look for more food, quick. 

The alpha wolf slowly turned towards him with a glare. He grasped both of his shoulders and whisper in a menacing tone. 

"You say those words so easily like you have a better decision. Do you think there's anything else we can we do in these circumstances? Look around us! No! There's nothing we can do for now. Going outside is same as a suicide with those ashes. I'm just trying to do my best to keep us safe. " 

He ended his words by pushing his cousin's shoulder then left. Rika looked on as his chief slowly left, he could see and feel a pressure in his alpha's face. He felt guilty that he made him feels more depressed. He didn't know that the alpha wolf hid such a burden, a pressure behind his calm expression and tone. He approached him and asked what's wrong and he took a deep breath then answered that he felt depressed. Being a chief carried a huge responsibility, leadership was never easy. 

Rika held his cousin's shoulder as he said that he was sorry for making him feels more depressed, he didn't intend to do it, he didn't know that he felt pressured. The alpha wolf said that it was okay, he just needed some time alone.  
      
It took a really long time, perhaps days or even longer until the ashes stopped falling. Some of the wolves died from respiratory problems, starvation, hydration, and disease. The alpha wolf was responsible for the packs survival and he should've felt bad; guilty because of these deaths. 

But no, he didn't. In fact, he felt nothing. 

Death after death of his own kind, his kin, his family has hardened his heart. He went out of the great den and found the taiga was covered in thick ashes. But at least, the ashes were not falling down anymore. Maybe, there were some left in the sky, but not as much as before. 

He went back into the great den and told the other wolves to pack up, they were about to leave this land, this would be the time for their exodus. 

He watched his surroundings and went to the place where the totems of the ancestors were to retrieve them. He found that the totems were damaged. There were seven totems in total, each a representation of a bygone generation. A historical marker of great events and the chief's that lead them: Luxville, Luxio, Lucario, Luxio II, Luxferre, Lucas, and his father, the great shaman. 

He looked at his father's totem for a while and took a deep breath.  _Father, did you see this? If you have, why didn't you tell me?_  He thought. 

He took his father's totem then went back to the great den and found that the tent had been half disassembled. After a while, they fully dismantled the tent and all the wolves stood in front of the entrance of the great den - or at least, where it used to be, near a caravan that they made before while waiting for the ashes fully went down where they put their belongings. 

All the wolves wore rags on their muzzles to prevent them from inhaling any ashes, including the alpha wolf. He asked the other wolves with a muffled voice if they had prepared everything and if there was nothing left. They nodded. 

He decided to lead them to the south for some reason, and no wolf questioning about that. They had also gathered and cleaned the food with fresh water in the great den. Luckily, the pack found groundwater inside the great den when they tried to make another den during the cataclysm. Lacking food is better than lacking water.  
     
Days had passed and the dark skies had brightened. Though the number of sick wolves were increasing and they almost ran out of foods supplies, their journey to the south had given them fruit. 

After passing a small, shallow gap between two islands, they found a city mostly inhabited with weird mammals. They had large hind legs, large feet, a long muscular tail, narrow heads and muzzles, and some of them had pouches on their bellies. 

By looking at what they ate, they were obviously prey. But for some reason, they welcomed the wolves. The wolves weren't complaining, they were planning to hunt them after they helped them. But they did wonder: why were prey like them welcoming preds? 

The weird mammals, they found, would eventually be known as kangaroos. Even though there were other mammals in this city like koalas, camels, and even other predator species like dingos, gave the wolves fish. 

It made the alpha wolf wonder why prey gave the other mammals food that they themselves never ate. They knew that the wolves were predators and they were okay with it. So he decided to look for an answer.

He approached a kangaroo and whispered in his ears, asking him if he was afraid of him. And the kangaroo answered with a weird feeling and an awkward laugh that he wasn't afraid of him, then asked why. 

"Obviously, because I'm a predator, and you're prey." Answered the alpha wolf. 

The kangaroo laughed a bit. "You're not from around here, are you?" he asked, the alpha wolf shaking his head in response. 

The kangaroo laughed again. "Listen, you're now standing on Outback Island, mate. One of the Kingdom of Zoohaven's territories. The prey and the preds made a peace agreement long ago, back in the heart of the Zoohaven: the Savannah. Then they continued to spread their influence, conquering more land to spread or even force the land to enforce the law. And now, the predators and the prey lives in peace. No more hunting, no more prey-eating predators-"  
     
"Then what do we eat?" Asked the alpha wolf, cutting through his words.

"Well, there's two predatory food allowed; insect and fish."  
      
"What kind of agreement is this?"      
      
"I understand that you need of a lot protein from meat. And that's part of our agreement, but well, at least not all of your rights were taken. You, the predators, were just not allowed to eat the other mammals, simple? Cause' we respect your need to get lots of protein from meat or such, so you're allowed to eat foods with a lot of proteins which are insects, fish, and some other food, and the predators respect prey, too. We also have the right to live, we're not just predator's food. With respect, we can live in peace. No more prey who are afraid to be eaten, and no more predators who are afraid that the other predators would take their territory because the food's better in there or a herd of prey would attack them, looking for revenge."  
    
The alpha wolf went silent. It sounded logical, and there was proof of the peace agreement between the prey and the preds on Outback Island. 

He went back to the place where the other wolves were, and joined them to eat. One of the wolves asked him about their plan to hunt the kangaroo then escape after it. But the alpha wolf told them not to. They've saved them. 

A part of the alpha wolf felt peace in this... diversity and he wanted to feel this peace more. Perhaps later, after they finished their exodus, he would enforce the Zoohaven kingdom's law in their new place. It wouldn't be much different from what Lucario had done, and he didn't care what the other wolves would say about it or about him. 

He didn't care if the rest of the pack would hate him. But a part of him didn't want to leave his ancestors's old way of living, part of him still wanted to stay in the old savage ways of living.    
    
After the days they spent on Outback Island, they were ready to proceed with their exodus. The alpha wolf decided to go to the heart of the Zoohaven. Thus, he asked the locals about it and they answered that they would need to go in a boat or even a ship, reminding that the alpha wolf to travel with his pack to the west. 

They told him that there was a ship that would travel there soon, owned by an adventurous panda merchant who came far from the east. If they catch the ship and ask him to join, they might be able to arrive in the Zoohaven quick enough. He thanked with a smile that Rika never seen before: a happy, whole-souled wide smile. In fact, he had never seen the alpha wolf that happy before. Which made him wonder why. 

They managed to catch the ship fast enough and, luckily, the panda merchant, Chen Zhao Yun, allowed them to abroad his ship... for a price. The alpha wolf gave him some of the gold jewelry the wolf pack had, and the panda okay with it. After the ship's crew finished their preparations, they set sail the well-known land of Zoohaven.


	2. Death is A Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter of The Legend of Zoohaven
> 
> Some readers may found this chapter quite disturbing.

It was dark, cold, and silent. There was no sound but that of stridulating crickets. The blood moon was illuminating its crimson light, and the freezing air was howling through the night.   
  
A young rabbit was traveling through the cold savanna night with a grin on his face. His grey fur and black spot around his right eye, along with a peculiar white pattern that dribbled down his right cheek, made him unique among his kindred. He wore a thick, black cloak with a tattered shroud that hung loosely behind him and protective footwear - rare and unusual for many mammals. He carried a staff in his right paw as he traveled. He observed his surroundings and grinned. He remembered this place. He remembered this path. He used to walk on this very path for his survival, escaping a great horror and ended up saved by someone he grateful he'd met him.  
  
It was many years ago.  
  
It was a nice, lovely, warm, sunny, yet slightly cloudy day. Bunnies like him were just playing in open grass plain with the other bunnies while their parents were taking care of the crops. He used to live in prosperous grass fields that were mostly inhabited by farmer rabbits that lived in a semi-nomadic way. The only reason of why there were no houses or huts was that there were just tents scattered everywhere. None of them thought that anything bad would happen, and they would live happily until the end of their lives. But well, not every end has to be happy, right?  
  
The rabbits could hear the sounds of trotting pawsteps as they trampled the grasses of the south field. The atmosphere became grim. The rabbits could see a group of mammals standing on a hill, staring at them with menacing looks. No one remembered for sure what those mammals' species were, but one thing for sure: they were predators. Or at least, no one lived to remember and tell what were their species.   
  
The group of savage predators ran down from the hill and spread wildfire in every direction, preying on as many rabbits as possible. Everything was chaos.   
  
A rabbit mother quickly grabbed all of her eight firstborn kids and went into her tent. The father of the kids told his wife to hide in a chest along with the kids. She obeyed. Luckily, the chest was big enough to hide her and her kids, though they had to squeeze themselves in. She told her husband to get into the chest too, but he refused. He told his wife that if the predators come in and find this tent was empty, they would be too suspicious and start to search for their prey.   
  
He was afraid that, if that happened, it would be the end of his family. He did not want that to happen. But it would be a different story if they came in and find a rabbit in this tent. They would not think the chest would contain more rabbits, they would think it contained riches. If they were looking for wealth, surely they would open every container they could find, but no, they were not looking for wealth. It was clear they were just hunting. He decided to sacrifice himself, covering the truth that there were more rabbits in the tent.  
  
One bunny saw it all. He saw everything through the small passage between the two parts of the chests. His eyes widened as he watched the whole tragedy. He remembered how his father took his one and only weapon, a wooden club, and swung it at the incoming predators. The rabbit father knew anything he would do to protect himself will be in vain. But he was not protecting himself and he believed it would not be in vain.   
  
The watching bunny remembered all the details clear. He clearly remembered how the savage predators ate his father alive. He remembered how his father screamed in agonized pain. I could describe more about the details, but I don't think everyone would like it.  
  
The rabbit mother tried her best not to make any noise as she calmed her kids down and told them not to see and not to hear it. While the kids could only approach their mother, seeking for safer place and cover their ears, it was no use. They could still hear their father's agonized screams faintly until they finally stopped.  
  
They could hear the predators smacking their lips and licking their fangs, looking for leftover flesh between their teeth. One predator mentioned that he smelled more prey in the tent and he started searching for the source of the scent. At this point, the rabbit family was scared to death. They didn't think about their father or anything else at all. All they could think was their own safety. They were afraid that they would experience what the rabbit father had experienced.  
  
They could hear the sound of a sniffing predator and its pawsteps. Slowly yet surely, it was getting near. Step, step, step, then it stopped. Bam! Suddenly, a loud noise came from the top of the chest. It's was here. The predator might have found the remaining rabbits and was about to open the chest. When suddenly, a voice came from another predator, telling him to stop; the feast-hunt has finished. If there were more prey, just let them be. The rabbits could only sigh in relief.  
  
They stayed in the chest for a little while longer, sharpening their hearing, and ensuring that the predators had left. They waited until the moment was silent as... a dead town. Only then did they venture out of the chest.   
  
The rabbit mother covered her face in horror. She couldn't stand seeing her husband's mangled corpse. She told her kids not to open their eyes, for them not to see anything and grab her paw tight, let her guide the way. But one rabbit didn't close his eyes as his mother told him. He couldn't. He just couldn't. He was too stunned to close his eyes and, consequently, was made to witness all of the horrid carnage. He saw the corpses of everyone he knew scattered all about the red-painted grass plains as they left their home to seek a new one.   
  
  
Days had passed.   
  
The rabbit family sought a new and proper place to start life anew, only to find themselves walking aimlessly and unprotected from the harsh and cold night environment of the savanna. Day by day, the bunnies began to disappear one by one.   
  
The bunnies often asked their mother where their siblings had gone off to, and she did her best to calm them down saying, "They might show up later." But the rabbit mother had never been seen searching her disappearing kids. This kept happening until only a couple of the bunnies were left.   
  
One night, one fateful night, a bunny, woke up in the middle of the cold, moonlit savanna. He was confused, surprised, and scared. When he found that his family was nowhere to be seen, he frantically looked for them. When he found them - what was left of them - he was mortified by what his eyes refused to believe.   
  
He saw his last sibling covered in blood, still, lifeless.   
  
He was stunned. Not because his last sibling was found dead, but because it was his own mother that did it. She was the one who took his last sibling's life. She was the one who was responsible for his other siblings's disappearance. And the 'best' thing was, she didn't just murder them. She consumed them, raw.   
  
The bunny could feel his heart pulsating rapidly in fear as his sweat was dripping. He gulped and took a deep breath. He ran away as fast as possible, as far as he could, to any direction he faced until he lost consciousness from exhaustion.  
  
  
The bunny woke up and found himself laying on a bed made out of hay and was covered in a blanket made out of cotton in a humid, dim, and average sized room. He sat up and looked around in confusion until he caught a glimpse of a mammal sitting on a wooden stool on the other side of the room.   
  
"So you're awake." Said the mysterious mammal as he stood up and opened a nearby curtain that blocked the sunlight. The mystery mammal revealed himself to be a fox; a bat-eared fox, to be precise. The bunny watched the fox in fear, remembering what he had faced not too long ago. "Tell me, kid, what's your name?"  
  
The bunny couldn't vocalize his words, his mouth was shut in fear. The bat-eared fox raised his brow. Seeing this, the bat-eared fox sat beside him and pat the bunny's back, but the bunny cringed and shuffled back. "It's okay, it's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you." Said the fox, calming him. Then he took a bowl of vegetable porridge and gave it to him. "Here, eat. You must be hungry, aren't you?"  
  
The bunny slowly and hesitantly took the porridge and ate it. The bat-eared fox went and took a jug of water and poured it into a mug and gave it to the bunny. After he finished his meal along with the water, the fox repeated his question, asking what's the bunny's name and what happened to him. The bunny, however, still didn't answer.   
  
After a long silence, he finally spoke out of his heart about what happened to him. He told the terrifying incidents along with every single graphic detail which made the fox quite worried. How this bunny could speak of the graphic details calmly was unsettling.   
  
There was a sad tone in the bunny's voice, but not a trace of fear.   
  
Anyway, after the bunny finished telling his story, the fox asked what's the bunny's name for the third time. The bunny answered with such a low tone that even the fox's well-tuned ears couldn't hear his response. He told the bunny to say his name louder. "Lazazel! Lazazel Lazuli, sir. My name is Lazazel Lazuli."  
  
The fox nodded. "I'm a traveling merchant," Said the fox calmly. "Last night, I was traveling to my hometown, which is where we are now, and I found you were collapsed in the middle of an open plain. I took you in, and saved your life." The fox paused. "You owe me your life, kid. Now, as your payment, I make you my servant for the rest of my life. You shall serve me until the day I die, and you can't argue about it, okay?"  
  
The bunny was just slowly nodded. He didn't have any other choice anyway.   
  
Ever since that day, Lazazel became the fox servant, and he was... quite happy about it. He was so lucky to have a kind master. He was like a father figure for him since he had lost his father. The fox took care of Lazazel as if he is his own son.   
  
But Lazazel, he was still a servant, no matter how much time they spent together.  
    
Years had gone by and Lazazel grew to a helpful, kind, submissive, and often naive rabbit, while the fox became older and weaker. Even though his past was far behind him, those memories still haunted him in the form of nightmares. His master had told him hundreds of times that it would stop haunting him and he'd find peace in his heart one day. Lazazel often questioned what that peace that his master mentioned was, and obtain it; how he could reach that state of tranquility.  
  
His master said that it depended on the person. Each person has a different way to find the... tranquility and what makes someone peaceful differ for each people. His master believed that when Lazazel found his peace, he'd find his answer.   
  
One day, he found it. But it was not what his master meant.  
  
His master was sick and Lazazel had to take care of him. But it seemed that whatever he did was vain in the end. His master passed away. But before he died, he said that his whole life was spent only for trading, that's all. Recently, his business has flopped. It stressed him out and triggered his sickness. Even though he was sick, he was still thinking about his business. But in the end, all of his money, all of his wealth, all of his effort to be a great businessmammal was vain.   
  
He brought nothing into the afterlife but regret. A regret that he had to hold onto because he didn't spend his life for his gods instead. He felt ashamed to his gods. He didn't spend his life for them, but they still let him go to heaven -  at least, according to his belief as every believer shall go to heaven and finally find true peace.   
  
However, every life shall come to an end.   
  
This life is temporary, our true life is the afterlife. This life is just a persistent illusion that feels really good, though, in truth, it's only fleeting. The illusion traps and tosses anyone who has forgotten that we lived because and for the gods only, into a pleasing, fluctuating sea of waves that led into the gods' wrath.  
  
Lazazel saw his father-like master die in peace. However, he didn't bury his master right away, neither did he tell the others or any authorities that his master had died. He just sat in the room, hugging his own legs in the dark corner, watching his master's fresh corpse on the bed as he thinking his master's last words and how peaceful he was when he died.   
  
Master died so peacefully. He found his one and only true peace. He thought. Then, he remembered that his master said that going to the afterlife, heaven, was a peace. Then it meant that, if he died, he would find his peace at last. Which led him to a final conclusion: death is TRUE peace.  
  
He had prepared everything to take his own life: the equipment, and his mentality. But suddenly, he realized he also needed to help others. His helpful trait couldn't lie to himself. He had to help others. If he died - though it was worth it to achieve the one and true peace - who would help the others?   
  
If everyone else hadn't found their one and only peace, who would help them? Finally, he decided to delay his suicide and 'help' those who were lost. Help them achieve the one true peace which is death, help the lost that were tossed around inside the fluctuating sea waves of the persistent illusion of the reality. Thus, that day, a new Lazazel Lazuli was born.  
  
Things didn't work as he planned.   
  
It seemed that the other people were just a bunch of fools who choose the illusion of the reality rather than the truth and peace of the afterlife. He 'saved' a couple of people, sent them to the afterlife only to find himself caught by the guards and sent to prison. Eventually, the prison couldn't contain him. He stealthy escaped and ran as fast and as far as possible. For some reason, he decided to go to the north. Maybe because it was the opposite direction of his hometown.  
    
  
Weeks had passed as he journeyed north. Lazazel found himself in the frozen tundras as he traveled. He had to adapt by keeping himself warm, using furred leather he got either from skinning a corpse or killing a living mammal.   
  
Eventually, he collapsed from exhaustion and found himself saved, just like years ago, when he was just a little bunny. He was rescued by a goat that happened to be the grand-magus of an arcane university of magic, maybe the only arcane university in the world, who knows. However, they did brag that it was the largest and most prestigious university of its kind.  
  
When he was saved, it was clear that he was sick. He was nursed back to health by a rabbit that later he took interest in by the name of Laika Arcane Grey. She was the youngest archmage on campus. She had entered the university when she was just four and earned her archmage title six years later, then began teaching the new apprentices of the university for last six years. She was just slightly younger than Lazazel himself.   
  
  
________________________  
  
  
Spending a few days resting bed made him realize what did he do wrong: his dream of saving others was too big to be achieved all alone by himself.   
  
He needed someone who had the same dream, the same point of view, the same thought, the same... vision as his. He needed followers. To gain followers, he needs to be charismatic and influencing. But most importantly, he needed to be clever in choosing his words, and bending his sentences. He needed to study literature.   
  
Other than that, he needed a new power to ease his effort in 'saving' the others. Thus, he decided to assign himself as an apprentice of the college. He asked his caretaker, Laika to tell the grand magus that he wanted to be an apprentice of the college (without telling his real reason to be an apprentice, of course) and she did. The good news (for Lazazel) was that he was granted that apprenticeship. Besides, the college didn't charge a fee to study anything - and of course, magic - in their place.  
  
As time passed, Lazazel was fully healed. Thus, his life as an apprentice started. He was doing excellent in his literature class, just like he had hoped. He had tried to persuade several other apprentices to do what he asked with his newfound reason and convincing ways to relative success. He managed to persuade the others, though not to be his follower. But still, it was a leap he could use to persuade more people to be his followers later in the future.   
  
He also excelled in his magic class. They offered a large pool of magic to study, but, out of all the classes that were offered, he chose space manipulation to be his major focus. With this, he could stretch, shorten, fold, flip, or even twist space itself. It was really useful for traveling from one spot to another. He chose this ability to escape from anyone who tried to stop him.   
  
He imagined that he could escape any prison, even the most heavily guarded one, with ease. He could just fold space, removing the walls and any other obstacle that dared be in his path. Not only that, but it gave him a tactical advantage if he was engaged in a fight. He could just shift space to avoid the attack, or twist space to make his enemy attack themselves.  
  
The only problem was that he had a small amount of maximum energy capacity - or maximum Mana.   
  
To use magic, you needed a substance of energy they called 'Mana'. Mana could be found anywhere, anyplace, even when you're in the underground or underwater. Mana was naturally contained in each person's body and could regenerate by resting; letting your body naturally absorb Mana from its surroundings.   
  
Each person had a different amount of Mana capacity. The capacity could be increased by either wearing an item that contains Mana crystals - a type of crystal that absorbs Mana - or using your magic ability as often as possible. Just like muscles that grow the more you use it, Mana capacity can be increased by using Mana as often as possible. But it takes a long time to increase the capacity of Mana.   
  
The downside of using space manipulation was that it required a lot of Mana, and since Lazazel only had a small capacity for Mana, he was at a disadvantage. With that said, the ability that he could use perfectly was traveling from a spot to another spot - or teleporting - in a short distance. An ability that famously called 'Blink' or 'Jump'. However, he could still use a few other space manipulation abilities.  
  
It was still not enough for Lazazel, he needed more power. He asked Laika - now his mentor - to teach him more, and she did gladly. She taught him more about magic and advised him to read more magic books in the library in order to learn the theories.   
  
Studying with Laika, for most of his stay in college, had given him an interest towards her. He liked the way she smiled, the way she giggled, the way she talked with her sweet voice, the way she taught him carefully. He liked seeing her fluffy white angora rabbit fur, he liked the longer fur on her head (or let's just call it hair), and many other things about her.   
  
It drove him nuts. He was crazy about her, but the more time he spent with her, the more she reminded him of his mother. The memories of his mother almost faded only to re-haunt him in his nightmares in the worst way by recounting the scenario. He had a recurring nightmare about him and Laika having a family and kits only to see his kits get consumed by her.   
  
He imagined that, if he stopped his dream and began chasing this girl, he would stuck in this reality, haunted by his memory, and never find the true peace. The worst possible thing that could happen was if his nightmare become real. It was possible, and he didn't want to take the risk. Regardless the memory/nightmare, he had thought to persuade her to be his follower, implementing his thought, his point of view, his vision to her (without showing his true color, of course).   
  
But the more time he spent with her, the more he realized that he wouldn't be with this rabbit. He couldn't convert this rabbit. Her viewpoint was the exact opposite of his, and she held her thoughts as strong as he did. He began to stop thinking about her, decreasing the frequency of time spent with her.   
  
He tried to forget her by reading books in the library. It was almost vain, until that day. That one fateful day. For as much time as he spent in the archives, didn't realize that there was a big two-sided wooden door, hidden in plain sight. He had never seen anyone enter the other side of the door, or leave from it.   
  
At once, he decided to open the door, only to find that it was locked. He checked his surrounding. When he was sure that no one was around, he used his space manipulation magic to get to the other side of the door, and was successful. He was quite surprised that it worked. Though it was a magic college, and anyone in this place can use magic just like him, why didn't they think to use, or apply, or cast an anti-magic wall, or force field, or anything that will prevent any student to go to specific places? Nevertheless, Lazazel did manage to pass through the door.  
  
On the other side of the door was a dark and quite small room - compared to the library. Inside, there was an old wooden table, a few old wooden chairs, and several bookshelves with a bunch of unmaintained books inside. There's a small space in the center of the room with nothing on it. Perhaps, the space was used to try and practice some magic spells.   
  
Lazazel approached one of the bookshelves and took a book, blowing the dust off of it, and wiping the cover with his right paw. He opened a random page of the book, observed what it said before closing it and put it back where he'd found it. It wasn't that interesting. He did the same for most of the books until he stumbled upon a particular book that he found an interest in, and what it had to say.   
  
Taking the book to the table, he sat on a chair and began to read it. The book was about daemonology: a study about the daemons (or just a demon). For the rest of his days in the college, he spent his time studying daemonology.   
  
Demons had their own special and unique abilities that were based on what kind of demon they are. But still, there was one similarity for all demons: to receive power from them, you needed to worship them. To summon them, you needed to cast a magic circle that differed to each demon, and there were sacrifices that also differed for each demon. Of all the demons mentioned in the book, he found interest in an archdemon and a grand-demon. The grand-demon was Lucifer himself, the fallen angel, the father of all daemons.   
  
While the archdemon was Carnage: a daemon of - well, from the name itself - carnage, slaughter, massacre, and genocide. A daemon who always demanded bloodshed. He was one of many who were responsible for bloodshed in the world by whispering to any conflicted person to kill. Lazazel was impressed when he stumbled upon this demon. He saw this demon as his savior, a solution to his problems.   
  
He needed Carnage to 'save' the others.   
  
He needed to kill all the living to save them from this prison of reality. Carnage would also be pleased to have a worshiper like him, a person who also wanted bloodshed. Thus, he began to worship him. At first, the college didn't notice Lazazel's secret worshiping. They started to notice it when a few students went missing. Not long after that, Lazazel was finally caught worshiping the demon. But it didn't stop him.   
  
As a space manipulator, he easily escaped from the college with his book of daemonolgy (or just grimoire) and a staff of Purgatory. A staff given to him from the realm of demons, "Helluva" or "The Purgatory". The staff of purgatory was an eye from a demon to see the overworld.   
  
This was a catastrophic incident. The worst incident ever happen. An apprentice escaped with the most forbidden magic and its grimoire. Daemonology was studied to be used to fight against the demons. But to study them, they need to summon them. Thus, the instruction to summon them was written. After studying many kinds of demons, the grimoire was sealed in the forbidden library. Actually, there is no knowledge that is forbidden. The forbidden library was forbidden because not all apprentices were ready to study it, and not all apprentices were worthy to study these kinds of magics.   
  
  
Several years had passed, and Lazazel managed to find a lot of followers. He had gotten better in finding the right moment to persuade someone to become his follower. He found those who were troubled, those who were fed up with this world, that most prey that had a bad past like him, even though not as tragic as his.   
  
Eventually, he managed to create a cult. The Carnage cult. A cult that worshiped the archdemon Carnage, and was willing to wipe out all the living in the overworld, with the whole cult as the last one. The cultist called Lazazel 'the blood prophet', though Lazazel had refused to take up the title.   
  
They want to enact their plan of wiping out all of the living along with the cult. Yet, there is was Carnage, he hadn't yet been summoned. They wanted to summon the one and only Carnage, but for some reason, Carnage couldn't be summoned. A high-class demon like Carnage needed a host to mingle with in the realm of the living. The realm of the living couldn't withstand the presence of a high demon's true form like him, thus he needs a host.   
  
But the problem was: who would be the host? The blood prophet had sent himself on a quest to search for the perfect vessel. With the staff of purgatory, it allowed Carnage to see who is the one he thought was worthy to be his host. After a year of searching, he still couldn't find the one who was worthy to be the host. Nevertheless, Lazazel returned to his followers. He wanted to rest.  
  
He finally arrived at the place where he and his followers started a settlement: a large open grass plain in the south of the land of Zoohaven that was separated from the mainland. To get there, you need a boat. But it wasn't a problem for someone who could manipulate space itself. When he arrived at the settlement, he was quickly greeted with great fanfare from his cultist followers.   
  
Lazazel and the authorities of the cult were having a feast to celebrate the return of the blood prophet. He asked them about their operation of secretly 'saving' the mammals of the kingdom of Zoohaven, and they said that the operation went well. They paid a few assassins that lurked beneath the desert kingdom, a sub-kingdom of Zoohaven, and managed to secretly kill several people of the kingdom as they began to weaken it. They targeted the kingdom of Zoohaven because it was the closest place that had the highest population at the moment.   
  
"If I may ask, my blood prophet, how was your quest?" Asked an authority.  
  
Lazazel looked at the one who asked for a while, then turned away from him. "Unfortunately, I haven't found the chosen one. I'm sorry." Answered Lazazel. The authorities exchanged glances to each other. "It's okay." Said one, representing the other's thoughts. "It's not easy to find a chosen one, he or she is the only one in the world. It must be tough to search one particular grain of sand in a desert. However, we all believe that you, shall find the chosen one sooner or later."  
  
Lazazel smiled. He loved the understanding that was given to him. Though he was the one who wanted to have a cult, he knew it was never easy to handle his followers, it was often exhausting. That's why simple understanding and encouragement felt really good for him.   
  
Later on in that night, he had a dream in his sleep. He met the Carnage demon himself on the planes of Helluva.   
  
"My worshiper..." Said Carnage, his demonic deep hoarse voice echoing in the shadows. Lazazel could see how impressive (terrifying, for the others) Carnage himself was. A skinless entity with bones, flesh, blood, and tendrils that made out of hardened blood shaped its tormented body. Lazazel couldn't really describe the appearance of the Carnage himself. He was almost humanoid, but the upper part of its body and the lower part of its body were more animal-like. Something like a fastest animal feet would look like, a cheetah's maybe? And Carnage's face was fully skeletal except for a place where ears were supposed to be. Instead, blood tendrils that stuck to its face and shaped bat-like ears.   
  
Carnage's skeletal face looked like all mammal's skull combined into one entity. He had an impressive set of teeth, almost canine-like with two pairs of saber-tooth. "After a year of searching the overworld for my worthy host, you haven't found him?" asked Carnage, his voice rumbling the ground.  
  
Lazazel knelt in fear, terrified for letting the cult down. But Carnage's response was beyond his presumption. "I finally found the one."   
  
Lazazel looked up, his eyes sparkling with hope. "I can feel his presence, I can smell his scent, I can hear any sound he made, even his heartbeat." Carnage paused as Lazazel stood up, still looking towards with cult with joy. "Go to the northwest, go to the desert. There, you shall find him."

**Author's Note:**

> with DancingLunarWolves


End file.
